Bottle-crate and adapter therefor.



G. F. BEHRINGER.

BOTTLE CRATE AND ADAPTER THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 5. 1912.

Patented June 15, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- Suva-mica wi/bmcoou G. F. BEHRINGER.

BOTTLE CRATE AND ADAPTER THEREFOR. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 5 1912.

Patented June 15, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z- TTNTTED %TATE% rarnnr @FFJICE.

GROVER F. BEHRINGER, OF DEFIANCE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE DEFIANCE PBESSEDSTEEL COMPANY, OF DEFIANCE,

BOTTLE-CRATE AND OHIO, A CORPORATIONOF OHIO.

ADAPTER THEREFOR.

Application filed December To all whom it may concern Be it known thatI, Gnovnr. F. BEHRINGER, acitizen of the United States, residing atDefiance, in the county of Defiance and State of Ohio, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Bottle Crates and AdaptersTherefor, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to boxes or crates for storing and shippingbottles for containing liquids, such as'iinilk or beer.

The invention relates more particularly to devices for use in connectionwith bottleholding boxesfor crates to change the size of the bottlecells so that bottles of different sizes ma be held in the same box orcrate.

There ore, the principal object of the invention is to provide devices,to be termed adapters, which can be temporarily placed within the cellsof a bottle crate to reduce the effective size of the cells so thatsmaller bottles may be held.

Another object is to provide adapters having certain advantageousstructural characteristics.

Y A further object is to provide in combination a box having certainstructural features and adapters constructed to cooperate with the boxstructure in a peculiar manner.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown one embodiment of myinvention, but it will be understood that so far as many of the featuresof my invention are concerned many changes and modifications may bemade. s

7 Of the drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view showing incombination a box and adapters embodying my invention. The view is takenalong the line 1-1 of Fig. 2. In this view one of the cells is shownwithout an adapter and in this cell there is shown a bottle of the sizefor which the box is normally intended. In another cell is shown abottle of a smaller size. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional View taken alongthe line 22 of Fig. 1. in this view one of the cells is shown without anadapter and in this cell there is shown a bottle of the size for whichthe box is normally intended. In one of the other cells is shown abottle of a smaller size. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the box shown inFigs. 1 and 2. In this view the bottle-retaining plate is omitted andadapters are shown in all of the cells. Fig.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 15, 19315.

5, 1912. Serial no. 735,154.

4 is a perspective view of one of the adapters.

The box which I have shown in the drawings for purposes of illustrationis made up of sections of sheet metal suitably secured together andproperly reinforced. It will be understood, however, that my inventionis not necessarily limited to boxes of this type but may be used inconnection with boxes formed of other materials, such as wood. It willbe further understood that even when metal is selected as a materialthere may be wide variation from the particular construction which Ihave illustrated.

In the drawings 1-1 represent the end walls of the box and 2-2 representthe side walls. The side and end walls are suitably crimped together atthe corners and are reinforced at the top edges by means of a rod 3which is inclosed in suitably formed beads. At the bottom of the boxthere are two wire rectangles 4 and 5. These rectangles are held inplace by means of metal stri s 6-6 which are crimped with the loweredges of t the end and side walls to form a flange 7 around the box. Attheir adjacent edges the two wire rectangles 4 and 5 are connected bymeans of a metal strip 8. The wire rectangles 4 and 5 project downwardbelow the bottom horizontal plane of the flange 7 and thus serve as astacking flange. The rectangles are of such size that when one box isplaced upon another the rectangles of the u per box will project intothe lower box an engage the upper edges -thereof to'prevent lateraldisplacement of the upper box with respect to the lower box.

The bottom of the box comprises longitudinally extending wires or rods9.9 which are'bent at their ends and seated in beads formed at the edgesof metallic strips 10-10, these strips being crimped into the parts ofthe flange 7 at the ends of the box.

Within the box there is provided a cellular structure which may be ofany one of several forms but which is preferably similar to that shownin Tthe drawings. As shown,- this cellular structure comprises a series,in this case three, of longitudinal sheet metal partitions 1111, and aseries, in this case four, of transverse metallic partitions 1212.Preferably the partitions of the two series terminate at their upperedges in the same horizontal plane and the upper edges may be beaded forpurposes of reinforcement. .Preferably the lower edges of the transversepartitions extend downward to a plane below the lower.edges of thelongitudinal partitions and are bent to form laterally projectingflanges 13-13. Immediately above these flanges 13-13 are aperturesthrough which the bottom wires or rods 9-9 extend. The flanges 13-13serve not only to reinforce the partitions against lateral distortionbut also serve to give firm supports for the central parts of the rods.Preferably the lower edges of the longitudinal partitions 11-11 arebeaded as indicated at 14-14.

15 is a retaining plate which serves to lock the bottles in place in thecrate and to prevent their falling out when the crate is inverted to beplaced in a bottle-washing machine or for any other purpose. Thisretaining plate is reinforced at its edges and is provided with openingsregistering with the bottle cells, these openings being adapted toreceive the necks of the bottles. In order to det'achably secure theretaining plate, locking devices are provided. Those which I haveillustrated comprise latches 16-16 pivoted to the end walls of the crateand adapted to extend through suitable apertures in the end walls. Thelatches are held in operative positions by means of springs 17-17. Itwill be clear that these locking devices normally serve to prevent theremoval of the retaining plate and consequently'of the bottles, and itwill also'be clear that these locking devices can be easily releasedmanually to permit the retaining plate and bottles to be removed.

In one cell in Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown a bottle of the size for whichthe box is normally intended. In each of the other cells I have shownadapters 18-18 which reduce the available space within the cellsandadapt them for holding bottles of a smaller size such as are shown inthe drawings. These adapters are readily removable and may beconstructed in any of a variety of Ways. The construction which I haveshown, however, has certain marked advantages. 1

Referring especially to Fig. 1 it will be observed that an adapter ofthe sort illustrated comprises two strips of metal 19 and 20 whichintersect at right angles and are connected together at the point ofintersection preferably by means of a rivet. Each end part of each stripis, at a suitable distance from the point of intersection, bent upwardas indicated at 21. At the upper ends of each vertical sections 21-21there are short outward-extendinghorizontal sections 22-22 which connectwith downward extending vertical sections 23-23, '24.-24. The sections24-24 are considerably longer than the sections 23-23, for a purposewhich will presently appear. The adapter is of such a size that itsinner walls 21-21 10-10 at the ends of the box or oneof the flanges13-13, at the lower edges of the partitions 12-12. The shorter sections13-13 are of such length that they engage with the beads 1414 at thelower edges of the partitions 11-11 and are in this way supported. Thetop parts 22-22 of the adapters lie just below the beads atthe tops ofthe partition walls 11-11 and 12-12 and in this way the adapters areheld against accidental displacement.

The adapters are formed, of resilient metal and on 'this account theycan be easily inserted into or removed from the cells. The resiliency ofthe adapters causes them to closely grip the, sides of the cells, and itwill be clear that only by springing them inward can they be removedpast the beads at the upper edges of the partitions.

From the foregoing description it will be clear that I have providedmeans whereby a box normally intended for bottles of one size can beeasily adapted for holding bottles of a'smaller-size. Prior to myinvention it has been necessary for a user of bottle boxes or crates ofthis general type to have" a complete stock of boxes to correspond toeach size of bottles intended to be handled.

' However, it is frequently diflicult if not impossible for a'user ordealer to determine definitely in advance just what proportion of. hisgoods must be supplied in-bottles of one size and what proportions inbottles of another size. For instance, 'if-the liquid to be contained.in the bottles is milk, the dealer cannot with certainty tell inadvance atthe time of placing his. orders for vboxes, just whatproportion of the-milk must be supplied in pint bottles and just whatproportion in half-pint bottles. order to guard against a possibleshortage of boxes for bottles of the smaller size, it has been necessaryfor the dealer to supply himself with a large number of boxes in excessof those which would probably be needed. By taking advantage of myinvention a dealer can order only a'small number of boxes for thebottles of the smaller size, or if he so desires, none at all, and byproviding himself with a suitable quantity of adapters, transform'theboxes normally intended for larger bottles into boxes suitable for thesmaller bottles. In this way the dealer can be ready at any time tosupply the requisite amount of milk in the smaller bottles without,however, carrying in stock a large number of boxes suitable Heretofore,in

amaiee only for the small bottles. If at any time a box in which theadapters have been placed is no longer needed for the-small bottles, itcan quickly be made ready for the larger bottles sinrply by .removingthe at a plurality of points substantially separated vertically and withinner walls arranged to engage with the vertical walls of a bottle at aplurality of points substantially separated vertically, the said innerwalls being substantially separated from the said outer walls wherebythe adapter can hold a bottle smaller than that for which the cell isprimarily adapted.

2. An adapter for a bottle crate comprising two metallic stripsconnected to each other at right angles and each bent upward on eachside of the point of connection to form an inner verticalbottle-engaging wall and bent outward and downward to form acell-engaging wall substantially separated horizontall from the innervertical wall.

3. An a apter fora bottle crate having all of its parts firmly connectedtogether. and provided with outer walls arranged to engage with thevertical walls of a bottle cell at a plurality of points substantiallyseparated vertically, with inner walls substantially separated from thesaid outer .walls and arranged to engage with the vertical walls of abottle smaller than that for which the cell is primarily adapted at aplurality of points substantially separated vertically and with a bottomwall arranged to engage the bottom of a bottle and support it at a levelabove that of the bottom of the cell.

4. An adapter for a bottle crate comprising two metallic stripsconnected to each other at right angles and each bent upward on eachside of the point of connection to form an innerbottle-engaging wall andbent outward and downward to form a wall for engaging a bottle cell, thedownward bent parts of one of the strips extending to a plane below thatof the point of connection between the two strips.

5. In combination, a bottle crate having cells with vertical walls, andremovable resilient adapters havin vertical outer walls arranged to havesur ace contact with and to be pressed outward against the verticalwalls of the cells and inner walls-arranged to have surface contact withand to support the vertical walls of bottles smaller than those forwhich the cells are primarily intended.

6. In combination, a bottle crate having cells with vertical wallsadapted for holding bottles of a certain size, and removable adapterseach having all of its parts firmly connected together and provided withvertical outer walls arranged to engage the vertical walls of a cell,with vertical inner walls arranged to engage the vertical walls of a.bottle smaller than those for which the cells walls and arranged toengage and support bottles smaller than those for which the cells areprimarily intended.

8. The combination with a bottle crate provided with intersecting setsof vertical sheet metal partitions forming cells for hottles of acertain size, the partitions of one set having horizontal flanges at thebottoms of the cells, and with bottle-supporting wires perpendicular tothe partitions of the last said set and at the bottoms of the cellswhich are otherwise open, of removable adapters formed to fit withinthecells and provided with downward extending legs adapted to rest on thesaid flanges, the adapters having inner walls substantially separatedfrom the outer walls and arranged to engage and hold bottles smallerthan those for which the cells are primarily intended and with bottomwalls arranged to support the bottles well above the plane of the saidwires.

9. The combination with a bottle crate provided with intersecting setsof vertical sheet metal partitions forming cells for bottles of acertain size, the lower edges of partitions of one set having horizontalflanges at the bottoms of the cells and the lower edges of those ofthe'other set having beads above the bottoms of the cells, and

with bottle-supporting wires at the bottoms of the cells which areotherwise open, of removable adapters formed to fit within the cells andeach provided with two pairs of vertical legs, those of one pair beingadapted to engage the flanges at the bottom of the having vertical sheetmetal partitions arranged to form cells for holding bottles of cell andthose of the other pair adapted to 1 i a certain size, some of thepartitions having beads at their upper edges and some of the partitionshaving horizontal flanges at their lower edges, of removable adaptersformed of resilient material and having outer vertical walls arranged tohave surface contact With the walls of the cells below the beads, thesaid adapters being provided with downward extending vertical legsadapted to engage with and rest upon the said flanges at the bottoms ofsome of the partitions and with inner walls substantially separated fromthe said outer walls and the said vertical legs and arranged to engageand hold bottles smaller than those for which the cells are primarilyintended.

11. The combination with a bottle crate provided withv intersecting setsof vertical sheet metalpartitions forming cells for bottles of a certainsize, 'all of the partitions being beaded at their upper edges, thepartitions of one set being beaded at their lower edges and thepartitions of the other set being provided at their lower edges withhorizontal flanges, of removable adapters formed of resilient materialand constructed to fit Within the cells below thebeads at the tops ofthe partitions, each adapter being providedwvith inner walls arranged toengage and hold bottles smaller than those for which the cells areprimarily intended and with two pairs of legs, one adapted to engage theflanges at the bottoms of the partitions of one set and the otheradapted to engage the beads at the bottoms of the partitions of theother set. a

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

- GROV'ER F. BEHRINGER.

\Vitnesses:

FRANK P. SCHNEIDER, DEY AYERS.

